It is axiomatic that in the field of rolling metals that as rolls the roll, so rolls the metal product. As simple as that sounds, the art is filled with methods and apparatus that are designed to provide some property or characteristic that points the finished product towards an improved product to attract the ultimate consumer.
The present invention is directed to improving the surface of metals and their alloys, particularly aluminum and aluminum alloys, so that a variety of materials may be bonded, attached, adhered, mated, held, either permanently or temporarily, to the surface of the finished product which may be a foil sheet, a plate, a composite or laminate. Such useful products as used in lithography, for flexographic plates, computer-to-plate lithography, weldable products for the construction or building of things, rigid containers to hold other things, lighting materials to shed light on these things, vehicles, such as cars, boats, and airplanes, all can benefit from the surface treatments that are a part of this invention.
That others have been working in this field and pointed in various ways is illustrated by the following reference materials. U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,547 is directed to a method of providing textures on material by rolling. In this instance, the patent tells how to retain lubricant on the surface and reduce wear debris generated during rolling operations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,112 is directed to surface treatment of a rolling mill roll which uses a laser to treat the roll surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,089 is similarly directed to treating rolling mill rolls only in this instance metal coatings are used. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,235 is directed to embossed cold rolled steel for use in corrosion resistance, paintability, and appearance. While the above is not an exhaustive list of the various fields in this art, it is representative of a portion thereof.
Attention is drawn to U.S. Ser. No. 08/607,541 filed Feb. 27, 1996 entitled "Texture Rolled Lithosheet" that is presently pending before the U.S. Patent Office. While this application is pending, the now abandoned PCT related application, WO 97/31783, was published on Sep. 4, 1997, which is herein incorporated by reference.
The aluminum alloys of particular interest are those that have been registered with the Aluminum Association. As those skilled in this art appreciate, those registrations are found in the 1000, 2000, 3000, 5000, 6000, 7000, and 8000 series aluminum alloys. By reference to the series hereinabove, includes the individual registrations throughout each series represented by such alloys as 1050, 2524, 3103, 5183, 6013, 7055, 8079 etc. The surfaces of these alloys benefit from treatment under the inventive rolls hereof and can be designed for an intended purpose in the beneficial use of aluminum alloys.
That this field is important to various human endeavors is not questioned since there is a resplendent historical significance attached to the Age of Metallurgy, such as the Bronze Age, thus helping to pull cave persons into the light, possibly aiding in walking upright, and certainly central in the conquering of worlds. Importantly, for today's world, improvements in the surfaces of metals and their alloys provides improved products and services to a variety of industries, such as printing, lighting, building and construction, packaging, and the vehicular trades.